Steve Bruce set to be named Premier League Manager of the Month?

Rafa Benitez was the November 2018 Premier League Manager of the Month.

It was the seventh time the Spaniard had picked up the award, five at Liverpool and once each at Chelsea and Newcastle.

A very tough start to the season, mostly to do with a summer where Mike Ashley had put as many obstacles in the way of the manager’s preparations (insisting on a £20m+ profit on transfer deals and only signing his top target Rondon very late etc etc).

Rafa bounced back with that November 2018 award, guiding his side to three wins from three in November 2018, with victories over Watford, AFC Bournemouth and Burnley lifting United up the table.

Benítez was nominated for the award alongside Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp, Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino but came out on top.

One year on is history set to repeat itself and Steve Bruce to pick up his first ever Premier League Manager of the Month award, after over 20 years as a manager?

Well, so far so good.

With that 3-2 away win at West Ham and then Saturday’s victory over Bournemouth, Bruce must be in poll position. Only three other clubs have also won their first two games in November but with Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester it is more expected.

For Steve Bruce to complete the job, I think a win at Aston Villa on Monday 25 November and at least a draw at home to Man City on Saturday 30 November would almost certainly do it, whilst of course beating Pep’s team as well would surely guarantee it.

A bit like these first two NUFC matches of November, I think Villa is one that could go either way, especially with Newcastle at last having found a route to goal and the spark that Saint-Maximin has given.

Whilst Man City aren’t quite the force of last season and are having problems at the back, losing three and drawing one already, so no reason why Newcastle can’t have a go at them, especially if they can find a performance like Rafa’s team did at SJP last season.

Most Premier League Manager of the month awards:

27 Alex Ferguson

15 Arsene Wenger

10 David Moyes

8 Martin O’Neill, Harry Redknapp

7 Rafa Benitez, Pep Guardiola

6 Sam Allardyce, Sir Bobby Robson

5 Kevin Keegan, Claudio Ranieri, Jurgen Klopp

Most Premier League Manager of the month awards by club:

28 Man Utd

19 Liverpool

16 Man City

15 Arsenal, Chelsea

14 Newcastle United

Quite amazing really, Newcastle would go joint fourth with Chelsea and Arsenal if Steve Bruce is successful and only one behind third placed Man City.

Newcastle bosses to have won Premier League Manager of the month awards:

6 Sir Bobby Robson

Feb 2000, Aug 2000, Dec 2001, Feb 2002, Jan 2003, Oct 2003

5 Kevin Keegan

Nov 1993, Aug 1994, Feb 1995, Aug 1995, Sept 1995

2 Alan Pardew

Nov 2013, Nov 2014

Rafa Benitez

Nov 2018